Tuesday, July 05, 2011

EKB Capsule News...Kentucky...7-6-'11

Less than two weeks remain for Kentucky residents affected by the severe storms, tornadoes and floods that struck the Commonwealth between April 12th and May 20th to register with the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) for disaster assistance. FEMA Registration Deadline: July 18, 2011.

On Monday July 4, 2011 at 4:25 PM Post 9 Pikeville received a call of a single vehicle accident on Marrowbone Creek Road Ky 195 in Pike County. KSP units arrived on scene and determined 19 year old Kaitlyn Kendrick of Pikeville was operating a 2006 GMC pick up traveling South on Ky 195 when she lost control of her vehicle, struck a tree and came to rest in the creek. The passenger in the vehicle, 22 year old Alexander Thacker of Pikeville, was pronounced dead at the scene by Pike County Deputy Coroner Denver Bailey. The incident remains under investigation by Trooper James Creekmore. Trooper Creekmore was assisted on scene by KSP Detective Jimmy Anderson.

Rescuers have recovered the body of a third man who drowned in Leslie County in a July 4th swimming accident. The body of Tim Blevins was recovered early Tuesday about half a mile below a dam on the Middle Fork of the Kentucky River near Hyden. Rescuers had recovered the bodies of Larry Blevins and Kendall Estep on Monday. The drownings happened after the three and Larry Blevins' son, Tony Hoskins, went swimming in the river near Leslie County High School, and a strong current swept Larry Blevins over the structure. His son tried to help him and was also swept over the structure. Tim Blevins and Estep went over the spillway at the dam to try to help. Hoskins was in the churning water below the dam and his uncle, Tim Blevins, grabbed his arm but had to let go. Hoskins was swept on down the river but managed to get to the bank and get out. He was the only survivor. Larry and Tim Blevins were brothers, and Estep was their brother-in-law.

Kentucky State Police from Post 13 were called to the Hazard Double Kwik located on Highway 15 North, shortly after 4:30 A.M. Tuesday morning for a reported strong-armed robbery. Two male subjects and a female subject entered the store and while the female was paying for her items, one of the male subjects went behind the counter, grabbed a quantity of change, and left the store. The clerk followed the male into the parking lot attempting to stop him from leaving. The clerk was assaulted and suffered a minor injury. The suspect left the scene, but not before the clerk was able to obtain his vehicle's license number. In a related incident, a short time later, the second male subject entered Francis's Diner in the Airport Gardens area of Perry County, grabbed a jar containing a quantity of change and fled the scene. Detective Clayton Stamper and Trooper Jonathon Sizemore of the Hazard Post were able to identify the alleged perpetrators. They were located at a residence in Perry County shortly before 9:00 A.M. Dustin G Mullins, 29, and his brother, Randall K Mullins, 23, were arrested without incident and lodged in the Kentucky River Regional Jail in Hazard. Dustin Mullins was charged with robbery first-degree, and Randall Mullins was charged with theft by unlawful taking under $500. The female was not charged.

Steven Douglas Jr., 57, of Whitley County has been arrested on a charge of first-degree rape and two counts of first-degree sexual abuse of a juvenile. The alleged assault happened June 30th at a home on Browns Creek in Whitley County.

U.S. Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell has sent a letter to Attorney General Eric Holder repeating his request to reconsider holding civilian trials for Waad Ramadan Alwan and Mohanad Shareef Hammadi, two Iraqis arrested in Bowling Green last month. McConnell, who wants the men sent to a Navy-run prison at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, saying the decision to treat the civilian criminal defendants in federal court in Bowling Green is "ill-advised." Holder has defended his position, saying terrorism-related trials can be successfully handled by civilian courts.

The late Proctor Brown will be honored on Friday, July 8th, at 10:30 A.M. during a ceremony to dedicate the bridge on KY 321 leading to James Trimble Boulevard in Paintsville in his memory. State Rep. Hubert Collins and representatives from Highway District 12 of the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet will join Brown family members at the ceremony, which will be held at the bridge site, weather permitting.

Store clerks 45 year old Bhaggy Patel and her 25 year old son, Hardik Patel, of Lexington, entered not guilty pleas Tuesday to charges that they tried to cash winning lottery tickets after telling customers the tickets were worthless. Both were released on their own recognizance, and the next court date was set for September 9th. Later Tuesday, 28 year old Vaishaliben Patel of Louisville also pleaded not guilty. The fourth clerk indicted in the sting set up to catch dishonest retailers didn't show up for her arraignment. They are accused of keeping $8,000 worth of scratch-off lottery tickets turned in by customers, who were actually undercover lottery security officers.

Kentucky State Police Trooper Royce Collett, Trooper Jeff Crase, the Elliott County Sheriff's Department and Elliott County EMS responded to to the scene where two year old Ryder Garris was found dead in a pond on Dewey Garris Road in Sandy Hook, Kentucky at 11:00 A.M. Tuesday morning. Garris was missing from bed when his mother woke up Tuesday morning.

Kentucky police agencies say the commonwealth's texting-while-driving statute which took effect a year ago is well intended, but difficult to enforce. Citations and fines have been handed out since January 1st, but there were only 144 of them statewide in the first half of this year. The areas where the most citations have been written are the counties where the two largest cities are: Jefferson County leads with 23, while Fayette County follows with 12.